Gentle Grimes
by ThxrinOxkenshield
Summary: Of course she was stupid enough to take him in. Anything to defy her father, he had figured. He liked it a lot better when they were on opposing sides. Personally, he liked it better when they were all Negan and she was nothing more than the 'Sheriff's Daughter', cleverly coined by Negan himself. Now, he was playing house with a girl he barely even liked.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: To those who might not remember, nor know, Justin was seen in a few episodes of Season Nine as the brute that got into a fight with Daryl and even shoved Henry to the ground. He was seen as still being loyal to the Saviors, or rather, Negan himself. He was exiled by Rick after he explained why nobody sent off the siren to move the walker herd, eventually ending up with Aaron losing an arm. Soon after, he is executed personally by the Oceanside women and came back as a walker. In this story, he never died.**

* * *

Guilt and him never went hand in hand. For God's sake, he was one of those who had went to Oceanside with the intent to send a message, per Negan's request. He was probably one of the first to shit talk Rick when he decided he would oversee the Saviors in Negan's absence to show them the new way of life they were suddenly meant to follow, not giving a shit on what any of them thought. It somewhat pissed him off that he had to answer to him now. Well, that he had to answer him at all.

Rick Grimes was a cocky bastard who felt he was probably much more holy in comparison to Negan just because he didn't take over the other camps like he had. Justin snorted. To be a leader was to be stern, be rough and know how to make those hard decisions. That piece of shit was far too soft, especially with that bitch hanging off his arm constantly talking in his ear. Yeah, he couldn't stand Michonne either. He couldn't stand any of them.

Maybe that was why he purposely tried to piss off Daryl. Either that, or he was just bored and felt as though fighting would curb that boredom. After all, the man did pack a punch. Justin knew he got his ass kicked, deep down. He would never admit it either, nor would he apologize for Aaron getting his arm ripped off. He's handled a herd before. He's handled a whole bout of living men, for Christ's sake, and he didn't lose shit! They were all too soft. If only Negan could get out of that damned cell already...but apparently he was nothing more than a symbol for the 'future'. That was even more stupid.

He kicked at a stray twig, gritting his teeth. Rick had had enough. The signal for the siren was the last straw. Apparently_ he _was to blame for Aaron's near fall. Exile wasn't so bad. At least he wouldn't have to answer to him any longer, and he didn't have to worry about caring for his injuries since Siddiq and Enid had saw to it. Now all he had to do was find somewhere safe to camp for the night and just go find Arat or someone in the morning to give him sanctuary. He snorted. That was a nice pun.

He heard a rustle. Startled, his hand flew to his belt where his dagger sat. There couldn't be a walker this close to the camp for the bridge. Rick had made sure they set up enough traps to keep it safe. But he was sure he heard something. His ears had never failed him before. Justin had excellent night vision and great observation skills. That was usually the reason he was the first chosen after Dwight or Simon to go on hunts. Of course, they never had to hunt for _animals. _Catching people was his specialty.

He stared into the thick brush of the trees, unmoving. He kept his ears sharp, ready to strike. Maybe it was Daryl, coming back to attempt to finish him off while he still could since Rick kicked him out. Or maybe it was just some stupid ass deer. Maybe he was just being paranoid, gripping the hilt of his dagger a little harder. But someone finally breached from the dark green, eyes wide and mouth slightly trembling in fear. Not a walker. Not Daryl. Not even Rick.

"What the hell are you doing out here?" he asked incredulously.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be all creepy... I just knew if my dad saw me comin' after you, he'd stop me," Olivia mumbled. Olivia fucking Grimes. The eldest child to Rick Grimes. Justin remembered Negan going on and on about how she should and would become a main target during the war. Michonne and her were the gateway to getting Rick to fall to his knees, especially after losing his son. Justin remembered that kid, too. He had attempted to infiltrate the Sanctuary before in order to kill Negan, but he only got as far as coming out of the truck he had crawled into. He had killed several men in that process.

Olivia, however, was a completely different story. As far as he knew, she was hardly even involved in the war. She was always stuck on babysitting duty for the smallest Grimes child, Judith. The only time he truly saw her fight was when they all came to Alexandria with that Sasha woman in the coffin. She was a terrible fighter, barely could even shoot. But she tried her hardest until she got knocked unconscious by Arat punching her in the face. She would've killed her if the Rosita woman hadn't taken a shot at her and drove her away.

He didn't really know much about her, except from what Negan had told them. Justin wasn't there for the lineup when Negan had first come face to face with Rick. She was shivering between her father and the ginger that Negan first killed. She was a coward, an idiot, a weakling. Nothing more, nothing less. But she was still a pretty thing. Half the men there had made sure to comment about it when they returned. Her and Maggie Rhee were the hottest pieces of ass there, as far as they knew.

Olivia and him talked probably once or twice since he got set up with other Saviors at this temporary camp to fix up the new bridge. She wasn't shy, but she wasn't outspoken either. He watched her a couple of times with her father and the other Alexandria people. She was sweet, caring, and very loyal. He had the opportunity to watch her slap Lowe, one of Justin's old allies, right across the face for making a degrading comment about Michonne. Since Rick was right there, he was unable to retaliate.

And now she was standing here before him, practically overshadowed by the trees and bushes fiddling with her hands and looking awkward.

"What the hell are you doin' here?" he asked again. "You know these woods could be crawlin' with geeks?"

"I can kill a walker," she scoffed, offended. "I just came out here because...well, I know you pissed off pretty much the entire camp, my daddy included. And I know you're pretty much the reason Aaron's gonna be on bed rest for the next few weeks-"

"You just come here to mouth me off, Grimes? Because your daddy ain't here to protect ya." Justin crossed his arms. He knew he wouldn't put his hands on her. He was a complete jackass who has killed and hurt people before, but he's never hurt a woman physically, and he never intended to. Negan pretty much drilled into him that harming a woman was as bad as killing your own kin. "Get the hell back to your family. Leave me the hell be."

"B-But you don't got anywhere to sleep tonight! A-And I wanted to tell my dad to at least wait until dawn before castin' you out, even if I don't agree with it. Being out here in the dead of night tryin' to find somewhere to sleep is pretty much just shitty judgment on everyone. Unless you know the place backward and forward, of course..." Olivia shuffled her feet awkwardly.

Justin shook his head. This girl was something else.

"I can find my way back to the Sanctuary, Grimes. And, just like you, I know how to kill, too. I don't need your pity."

"Don't mistake it for pity. Consider it an olive branch, instead," Olivia pleaded. "Do I think you're an asshole? Yes, I do. First you slack off on the one job my dad gives you, then you shove a little boy to the ground unprovoked, you get into a fight with Daryl, and you fail to do something that had one of my very good friends severely injured. But...this new beginning that my dad's trying to do for my brother, for us...we won't get there if we kick out everyone we don't see eye to eye with. I can't tell you how many times Daryl got into fights with everyone in the beginning and now he's practically my daddy's brother and my uncle... I don't wanna go to bed knowin' you're wandering around these parts with nowhere to go but the Sanctuary which is probably three hours to get there on foot. Now...will you shut the hell up and let me help you?"

Justin stared at her for a very long time. He looked over his shoulder toward the camp he left before returning his gaze onto the small girl in front of him. She wasn't going down without a fight. He was sure the only way to make her go back to her father would be to throw her over his shoulder and take her back. He considered doing that for a moment, but he knew it wouldn't look good for someone like him to show up with the leader's daughter thrown over him like a dead deer. He'd probably be shot on sight.

"Fine. But what do you suggest? Not like you can sneak me back into camp. Not a small guy, unfortunately," Justin said, finally uncrossing his arms. Olivia smiled, now knowing she got her way. She even spared a glance toward the camp, before going to take his arm and pulling him in the opposite direction of both that and the Sanctuary. In fact, she was leading him right into the trees. He resisted for a moment, but she just readjusted her grip and pulled him right back.

"You're gonna lead us right to a walker, if you keep-"

"I told you, I know these parts better than anyone...except for maybe Daryl. I actually think he was the one who showed me this place." Olivia whispered absently, seeming to be counting her steps before she took a sudden left, then a right, then another left. "We were on a run and a storm flushed us from going any further. He found it and cleared it out before bringin' me inside. I come back every once in a while to do, like, a weekly cleaning just in case the need of it ever arose again. Since we've been coming to the bridge more often now, I've been able to do it much more than usual."

"I don't need the details," Justin rolled his eyes.

"Sorry, I tend to babble a lot; silences bother me. I like talking," she replied, ducking to avoid a low hanging branch. Justin barely missed it, the top of his head brushing by it. Soon, they had come into a clearing. He knew, by now, they were far from the camp. He hoped her father wouldn't notice and go looking for her. If he found the two of them together...

"Ain't your dad gonna worry?"

"I told him and Michonne goodnight before I 'headed into my tent'." She put air quotes for the last bout of words.

"All of this shit just to make sure I don't die. You realize how stupid you sound?"

"I like to think of it as being helpful. C'mon, this way." Olivia finally released his arm to walk slightly ahead. He followed slightly behind her, not willing to walk by her side. She seemed far too lost in her own world, anyway. He had half a mind to just book it right now and continue on his way to the Sanctuary. To hell with this girl's morals. None of it had anything to do with him. He couldn't give two shits about the future that Rick was so persistent about.

Then he could finally see it in the distance. It was a log cabin, looked as though it had survived several hurricanes with the caved in porch roof and broken steps. Tables and a washing machine scattered the front of it, and the front door was hanging off only the top hinges, the bottom open for anything to come inside. Olivia smiled as she approached it, seeming proud of herself for finding something she had apparently come to several times. Before she could step onto the porch, he grabbed at her wrist.

"Ow! What?" she hissed angrily.

"Don't ya wanna check it first?" he retorted as quietly as he could.

"I can't if you're keepin' a hand on my wrist," she snapped, ripping her arm out of his grip and reaching into her pocket. She took out a tiny pink pocketknife.

"You gotta be kiddin' me," he huffed, looking at it. "That's your weapon?"

"Screw you, it was a gift," Olivia said, glaring at him.

"It's a butter knife is what it is!"

"It can still cut," she said coolly, pointing it at him before turning and disappearing inside. Justin stood there stupidly, watching the creaking door with an angry scowl. She was going to get herself killed. Grumbling furiously, he grabbed his dagger and stepped onto the porch, heading straight for the door, only to jump back with a grunt as her head popped out, smiling giddily.

"Empty!" she chirped, "C'mon!" She held the crooked door for him to crawl into. Feeling even more embarrassed than before, he ducked down and quickly got inside. He was sure he heard Olivia stifle a giggle. When he got back to his feet, he heard the sound of something heavy being pushed across. Turning, he saw her shove a cinderblock to the door, making it shut successfully with its help.

"You've really thought this place through. You sure you didn't just call me in here to kill me?" he asked.

"If I wanted to kill you, I would've done it back in the woods. Now, help me. I can't really see in the dark and I know there's a stash of flashlights in one of the closets. I've been collecting them just in case. I don't know if any of them work, but I got 'em." Olivia shuffled her feet toward the back where four door stood. Thanks to his great night vision, he could pretty much make out what the cabin looked like entirely. He walked past her and grabbed the first doorknob, opening it. When he did, he gagged and brought a hand to his nose.

"You found the old bathroom," Olivia stated, covering her own nose.

"What...the hell?" he grunted, slamming it shut.

"Shh! Calm down! I'm guessin' who ever stayed here last clogged it up and didn't bother to fix it. Daryl and I have just settled on keeping that closed. It should be the second to last door." Olivia said. Still dizzy from the smell, Justin moved over until he grabbed the correct door, whipping it open and relieved to smell nothing but rust. He could see several shelves inside, each one cooped up with flashlights. He grabbed the first he saw, flicking at the switch and irritated to see it didn't work. He grabbed at another, doing the same. The light shined right into the other's eyes, making her flinch and back away.

"Agh! Point that somewhere else, jackass!" she sneered. He quickly obliged, instead pointing to the last door. This one had to be a room of some sort. It had a lock. Curious, he went to open that one, surprised to see it was a bedroom, a really small one, but a bedroom nonetheless.

There were three windows lining one of the walls, but they were all boarded up. In the middle of the room was an empty bed, a large red stain covering half of it; he was sure that was blood. On the opposite wall was another door, which had to be a closet. Right beside it was a dresser, made of the same wood the walls were. There were pictures on it and an empty shotgun. There was even a fireplace right beside the door he was holding open, with a mounted deer head standing proudly over it. It must've been a really nice cabin before everything went to shit.

"You can take the bed," Olivia said, now holding her own flashlight. "I can go crash on the couch in the living area. We'll wait until dawn, and I can walk you to the Sanctuary in the morning."

"You crazy? The only thing keeping someone from walkin' in is a tiny little cinderblock. Just take the bed. You've already helped enough; I can take the couch." Justin didn't know why he was being such a gentleman, especially after being the ass he was these past few days. He just felt it was right. Negan would do the same. He treated his wives very well when he had them.

"Good! I was hopin' you'd feel chivalrous if I just volunteered for the couch," Olivia grinned, sliding past him into the bedroom. "Have a good sleep, asshat." Smirking, she shut the door, leaving him standing right behind it like an idiot. He should've taken the bed; screw being a gentleman. Shaking his head and mentally cursing her, he turned and went back to the living area to lay across the ripped couch. It was uncomfortable as hell, but it was far better than laying on the dirty ass ground in a tent.

He placed the flashlight upright beside him, making it illuminate the ceiling. He didn't know if he liked this. He should still be making his way to the Sanctuary, but this girl had to go and ruin it. He hoped she'd understand nothing like this could happen again, come morning. He only agreed to do this so he could be given hours of daylight on his way home. He didn't give a shit how bad she felt for him; that was her own problem. Come tomorrow, Olivia Grimes would leave his life for good and he'd never have to think about her again.

How very wrong he was.


	2. Chapter 2

Sunlight didn't blare down into her eyes like it normally would if she were lying comfortably in her tent and her father would come barging in to wish her a good morning and set her on her duties. Since the only windows in that room were boarded up, the only thing that could tell her the sun was shining again was the sound of a few birds chirping outside. She had taken up pretty much the entire bed, her arms and legs stretched out with her long brown hair splayed underneath her head in a tangled mess. She nearly forgot why she was there in the first place. There really was no going back now; she helped an exiled man who caused more trouble than he was probably worth. Her father was so going to be angry.

Sitting up and grimacing at the cracks that elicited from her back, she glanced towards the still closed door. He could've just left by now. He could've just taken the couch, not to be a gentleman toward her, but to give him the opportunity to leave her for good and rush off to the Sanctuary. Or he could be snoring on the couch now, not ready to abandon her presence just now. Olivia smiled, running her fingers through the nest on the back of her head, deciding she needed to fix it before he saw. Not that she cared about her appearance or anything, but she didn't want him cracking any jokes.

Once she worked it into an okay braid, she stood from the bed and tiptoed her way to the door, twisting the doorknob so as to not make any noise. She still had her pink pocketknife in her back pocket. Light snoring coming from the living area told her he was still there with her, not exactly friends nor enemies. For now they were just acquaintances, her more of an accomplice to his escape from death. Olivia didn't mean to pat herself on the back, but that was the way she felt. After all, she was positive if it weren't for her, he'd be walker food.

"Hey," she whispered, approaching the couch. She wasn't willing to shake him or anything. She didn't know if he would wake up violently. She settled to just calling out to him as loudly as she could without drawing any nearby walkers to this particular cabin. "Hey, Justin!" He snored on, ignoring her pleas to wake up. Now a little irritated, she stepped closer. "Justin, wake up! We have to go! Justin!" She tentatively took her hand, slowly bringing it up to his shoulder to shake him gently.

"Don't even think about it," he mumbled, interrupting his own snoring. She flinched, quickly backing away. "Is it morning?"

"Afternoon, I think. I know my dad's probably gonna blow a gasket if he sees I'm missing. I'm hoping he's more distracted by today's duties to worry about it, though. Um...do I need to give you time to wake up...or?" Olivia trailed off as he suddenly sat up and rubbed at his eyes. She watched enviously as his hair cascaded down his shoulders, not a tangle in sight. Must be nice. Clearing her throat, she continued, "I guess I'll be needing to take you back to the Sanctuary, huh? Are you sure that's the best-"

"It's my home," he said sternly, finally switching off the flashlight that was pretty much useless in light. "There's no other place for me."

"I-I know, but with...lack of fertile soil and...some of them are on the brink of a rebellion..."

"That's because I drove them to it."

Olivia's eyes flashed to his, which seemed dangerous now as they gazed into her own. She probably seemed rather stupid now.

"Oh," she mumbled, rubbing her lips together in an attempt to dull the tension now hanging in the air. "Look, I know my dad can be a handful. Trust me, by now I've had to deal with him for nineteen years, but he knows what he's doing. He's the best thing to ever happen to this world. He works for his people, and I know it may not seem like it now, but...he cares about the Saviors, too. In fact, he pretty much thinks Negan brainwashed the lot of y'all-"

"Negan _helped _us," Justin retorted, finally getting to his feet. It was odd how in the midst of a conversation like this, you actually notice how much bigger people are in comparison of you. Justin had about five inches over Olivia's head. "He kept me alive, he kept my people alive. Maybe it wasn't the fairytale, holier than thou way your dad does, but he did care about his people. I wanna stop talkin' about this. I don't need your help anymore. Thanks for the sleeping place, but I need to head home. And you need to get back to your people before it's too late. Understand?"

Olivia bit her lip to stifle her reply and nodded. With that, he strode right past her and moved the cinderblock out of the way so he could leave. After a moment to calm down her nerves, she followed. The sunlight blinded her for a moment as she went outside, but she could clearly see Justin making his way back to the trees. Stumbling over her own two feet, she ran quickly to catch up with him.

"Wait! Wait! Do you even know your way back?"

"I just keep walking until I don't see any trees. Can you buzz off? Now you're really starting to get on my damn nerves." Justin rolled his eyes, continuing his way. It was clear he wanted nothing more to do with Olivia, and she could understand that, but she was tired of him acting like he knew more than she did. For all he knew, he could be walking right into one of Daryl's animal traps and remain there until an unsuspecting walker found him.

"Can you put your ego aside for one minute and be thankful you have someone who actually knows where they're goin'?" Olivia snapped, moving so she stood in front of him. He grunted in annoyance, skidding to a stop. She could see his hands clench at his sides, but for some reason she wasn't afraid the way she was in the cabin when he admitted he was the one leading the resentment toward Rick and the others. Out here, it was a different story. Daryl made sure to show her all she needed to know about defending herself. "Just...let me show the way back to the path and we can go our separate ways then. You don't have to ever think about the fact that I pretty much saved you last night ever again. Instead you can go back and live to be an asshole for the rest of your life."

"Why are you trying so bad?" he demanded, gruff, "Why can't you just let me be? Why are you so stubborn in trying to help me?"

Olivia sneered, "Because my brother would've done the same for an asshat like you. That's why Siddiq's here. I don't think you'll be saving lives anytime soon, but I know he would've probably screamed at me from the beyond for not stepping in. After all, all of this was his vision. The...the togetherness, the love, and all that. I just wanted to...help it out, I guess. Just let me lead you back, alright? Don't take it personally. I can't exactly like a man that has pretty much took everything I did to keep him alive for granted."

"I wasn't exactly in danger, princess," he grumbled, begrudgingly following her into the trees as she began to count her steps again. Olivia was satisfied now. He may not exactly want it, but he definitely obliged. In some way, that was better. If only the way back wasn't more awkward than the night before. The silence was eating at her, but she didn't care. She paid her dues. She hoped, in a way, Carl was satisfied from that from wherever he was watching her.

Justin pretty much just hunched over and followed her, sliding her feet so every move he made was accompanied with a sound. Olivia hoped they were getting a lot closer faster. Once she finally stepped out of the brush, however, like she had the night before when she approached him, she heard a sound that startled her to jump about a half foot in the air.

"_Rick, there she is!_"

A flourish of movement had someone throw their arms tightly around her torso, picking her up so her feet left the ground. She was still a little shocked, but she could tell a moment later it was just her father, Michonne joining the embrace a moment later. This pretty much told her that they did notice her absence. She was glad Daryl didn't think to look at the cabin first. That would've been awful. Biting her lip, she glanced over her shoulder, slightly relieved Justin was remaining hidden within the trees. He knew better than to show his face right then.

"Where the hell were you?" Rick asked, placing her back down as he looked her over. "W-Were you..."

"No, no, I wasn't. I'm fine," Olivia mumbled, swatting his hands away.

"You do not leave without telling either of us, do you understand?" Michonne snapped. "Saviors are livid right now. We have an issue, and you not being where we know to find you...you cannot do that." Olivia nodded feebly, slightly confused as to why the Saviors would be angry. Did they hear about Justin's exile? Were they pissed about that? That wouldn't make much sense since they knew he'd be returning to the Sanctuary soon enough.

More people were joining the trio, Daryl and Enid amongst them.

"You were at the cabin, weren't ya?" he grunted as he searched Olivia's face.

"Cabin? What cabin?" Rick asked, looking from him to his daughter.

"When we were on a run, a storm got in the way and we had to take shelter so we found this log cabin. I, um...I didn't get to clear it out yesterday like I wanted, so I left early this morning to do it. I'm sorry, I just didn't wanna worry you," Olivia lied through her teeth, praying nobody would go and look into the trees to find Justin there and know exactly who she was with this entire time.

"Not telling us where you are worries us more," Rick shook his head. "You need to head home, now."

"What? Why?"

"Justin's missing," Daryl grunted. "Along with Arat and several other Saviors. Just Saviors...we figured since you were missing, they weren't targeting specifics, but seeing as you're alive...looks like we got someone huntin' 'em." Olivia's eyes widened, and for a moment she nearly gave up Justin's position. Saviors were going missing? Why? Who was taking them? How did they know they were even being hunted? For all they knew, they could just be going back to the Sanctuary. But that didn't make much sense.

"I'll get one of the horses. Daryl can ride back with you to Alexandria," Rick said, nodding to him. Daryl was about to leave to do so, but Olivia quickly stopped him.

"Why? If they're targeting Saviors..."

"I won't take the chance. We're gonna go look for Justin and Arat today along with the others to see what's up. I'd feel a lot better if I knew you were home with Judith." Rick said seriously.

"Okay, but...it sounds like you need more muscle. Aaron's down thanks to his injury, and you need Daryl. I can ride back by myself," Olivia urged. "I know the way, and I've got my knife. I'll be fine."

"Here," Michonne said, pulling something from her back pocket and handing it to her. Olivia could see it was a tiny handgun. Rick looked at Michonne like he wanted to stop her, but he remained silent. "You make no stops. You speak to nobody. You tell those at the gates what is going on and you do not let Judith out of your sight. If it's just one walker, don't use the gun. Can lead a herd right where you're at."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Olivia huffed, taking the gun and placing it in her pocket. "Just...let me know what's going on with the Saviors once you find me again?" The two of them nod. Daryl leaves to get the horse for her, and the others who had come in the search of Rick's daughter follow him. Olivia felt slightyl embarrassed that they overreacted. Then again, in a world like this, there wasn't much to overreact to. Everything was just that crazy.

"D-Didn't you exile Justin? How do you know he's missing?" she asked in a conversational type.

"He didn't show up at the Sanctuary as far as I know. And seeing as Arat's now gone, too, I could only put two and two together," Rick explained. "All of this...all of this just delays construction and work. It could ruin everything we've been putting together." He seemed to be talking to both Olivia and Michonne now as he cupped a hand over his face.

"It could just be coincidence," Olivia suggested. "I'm sure they're both fine. Arat's strong. She knows what to do."

"And while that Justin was a complete ass, he wasn't a total idiot. Rick, we have to take into consideration that they're leaving with the intentions to do more than just delay work for the bridge," Michonne stated, looking up at him. Olivia flinched; she was thinking the Saviors were cooking up a full blown rebellion to overthrow Rick. But that was impossible for Justin. He was standing just a few feet away from them and none of them knew. Well, none of them knew except Olivia.

"I know...I know...but I want to assume, for the best, that these are all just coincidences," Rick sighed, before turning as they heard the trotting of the horse Daryl brought. It was one of the males, its coat a beautiful jet black along with its dark eyes. It shook its mane beautifully as he approached, Daryl patting it gingerly on its side.

"She ready?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah, I am," Olivia nodded, approaching him. "You guys can go. I'll be fine. Just...get to Alexandria, tell them what's going on...stay safe and all that."

"You're right," Rick chuckled, walking over and placing a kiss to her head. Michonne did the same before the two left with Daryl back to camp, probably discussing how they were going to search for the missing Saviors and discover why they're missing in the first place. Olivia knew where one of them were, but she couldn't really speak for the rest. Once the three were out of sight, she heard a twig snap and whipped around to see Justin stepping out from the trees, looking angry.

"Saviors are missing?"

"Well...you're not," Olivia reminded, grabbing the reigns of the horse and pulling him over to Justin. "M-Maybe Arat went to go find you, so she's off to the Sanctuary."

"She wouldn't waste her breath. She's really desperate to show Rick she's changed. She wouldn't leave willingly, even to find me." Justin ran a hand down his face, then he turned and began to walk away. Olivia bit her lip and pulled at the reigns so the horse would follow her as she ran to keep up.

"You're not still going to the Sanctuary?"

"What does it look like?"

"But you heard my dad! Saviors are going miss-"

"If they are, my best bet is to be with my people to make sure they're safe since Rick ain't gonna do shit about them and just try and go find the others. He didn't even mention sending anyone to go protect them," Justin snapped. "First that Hilltop bitch won't send help for us to survive, and now this? Bullshit."

"I know, I know it sucks right now. B-But it'll get better. My dad'll find Arat and the other Saviors and find out why they're gone. But I can't, in good conscience, send you on your way to get yourself killed, too."

"Who said she was dead?" Justin glared down at her.

"Okay, wrong choice of words. But you know what I mean. You can't go to the Sanctuary now, it's too dangerous. And, anyway, they're more safe over there because they have numbers. You, on your own? It's like drawing a big target on your back. Come back with me to Alexandria." Olivia said it before she even thought it through.

"Are you insane?"

"No. I just...what was the point of taking you in last night if I was just gonna send you to your death today? You'd be a lot safer in Alexandria than on the road by yourself with only your knife to keep you company." Olivia bit her lip. "As far as they know, you're not even exiled. I just...I wanna help."

"Well, stop helping. You don't know what you're getting yourself into. Not only will your father punish you for helping me, he'll probably do something worse than an exile for me staying with his daughter. I'm going to the Sanctuary, and you can't stop me," Justin replied harshly, starting forward again, only to stop right in his tracks as the black steed suddenly lurched forward on Olivia's command and stood right in front of him.

"I'm not gonna just let you die because you're too stupid to accept help. You're going with me to Alexandria. Let's go," Olivia demanded, shaking her hair out of her face as it fell from its braid. She looked up at the horse and did a little jump before she tugged herself onto its back, for once towering over Justin's impressive frame. "Get on, or I drag your ass like a calf."

"Has anyone ever told you how annoying you are?"

"Yes, tons of times. Now, let's get going before one of the search parties come down here and sees you," Olivia ushered him to get on behind her. He straddled the horse, pressed up right against her back and pretty much overshadowing her like a grizzly bear. She didn't seem to mind, however, grabbing the reigns and sending the horse into the way of Alexandria, which happened to be the opposite way Justin attempted to go to in order to get to the Sanctuary.

Justin placed his hands securely on her hips in an attempt to keep himself from falling off. She seemed to know exactly where she was going. Her braid was coming undone, now just beginning to fly across his face and go up his nose. He grunted and shook his head furiously to try to keep it out. This was going to be a rather _long _ride. He was getting really sick and tired of this girl. She was so stubborn.

It took about an hour and a half to even see the gates of Alexandria. He gulped slightly. The last time he was here, he was attacking it and the people inside, including Olivia. Now she was rushing him inside to give him safety because she was worried someone was trying to off the Saviors. He looked up nervously at the people lining the tops of the gates.

"It's Olivia, open it up!" he shouted, banging on the gate obnoxiously. The horse was slowing to a stop as they got closer. Justin heard the gate unlock and slide open, revealing Alexandria in all its glory inside. Even he was amazed at how great it looked. As much as he hated Rick, he did have to give credit where credit was due.

"Olivia," Rosita came outside, smiling wide as she embraced her. "What are you doing back already? Did something happen? Did..." She trailed off as she looked over her shoulder toward Justin, who was climbing off of the horse and bringing it over. She glared slightly. "What the hell is he here for?"

Olivia moved back, looking up at Justin with an awkward smile, before looking toward the other woman. "It's a long story, but...we need to come inside. I need to tell you something. Justin, could you...?" He nodded, fighting not to roll his eyes. He was sure if he did anything offensive she'd try and attack him. From what he could tell, she was a loose cannon. When Negan and Rick were still going head to head, she had taken a shot at him after he murdered Spencer.

"Saviors are going missing. We don't know if they're getting taken, if they're running off, or if they're just dead. Um...I managed to salvage Justin because I saw him before...well, I decided the best place for him would be here until all this blows over, and he'll be back at the Sanctuary no problem. He'll be staying at my place," Olivia said all this in a rush, the two girls walking ahead while Justin handed off the horse to an awaiting boy who was looking at him like he was the dirt underneath his shoes.

"Is your dad or Michonne okay with that?"

Olivia was silent.

"They don't know... Olivia, are you kidding me? Hoarding a Savior in Alexandria, _especially _right now-"

"I'm not hoarding him! He'll just stay with me until everything clears up, and I promise to let him go after. Rosita, I couldn't just leave him out there," Olivia glanced at him over her shoulder. "If he had died and I knew I could've done something about it...I'd never forgive myself." Justin rolled his eyes; now that definitely sounded stupid.

"I just don't trust him. I say we just lock him down with Negan," Rosita glanced toward Justin in disgust. He perked up suddenly at the mention of Negan. He completely forgot he was even at Alexandria. Olivia paid no notice to his sudden change in posture, her eyes not leaving Rosita as she spoke.

"Just...trust me, okay? Look, it's been a long few days. The bridge construction is being delayed because the Saviors are pissed about their people going missing. I'm gonna take him back to the house. Can I catch you for lunch later?" She seemed hopeful.

Rosita sighed irritably. She took one more glance at the man, before she suddenly approached. Olivia looked like she wanted to stop her, but she stayed rooted to the spot.

"Let me make something very clear to you, hotshot," she hissed, unafraid, "If anything happens to her or anybody in this camp, I'm holding you personally responsible. I'm not Rick and I'm not Michonne. I will kill you." He could only nod. She looked back at Olivia and nodded. "This better not blow up back in our faces, Liv. I'm not happy about this."

Olivia nodded, before gesturing to Justin.

"C'mon, my house is this way." She started toward the long lines of identical homes, some of them slightly tarnished as if they had been on fire at one point. Justin shuffled beside her, looking around him in slight curiosity. He didn't really get to get a good look of the place this last time. He slightly wondered which house they hoarded Negan inside of. He was sure Olivia wouldn't allow him to see him. He wondered if he could sneak out at one point to find him.

"I'm sorry about Rosita," Olivia's voice interrupted his train of thought.

"She always that welcoming?"

"Sometimes. Me and her are very close. She went through a rough patch a while back after her ex-boyfriend was..." Olivia suddenly stopped dead, looking up at Justin before changing the subject completely, "She confided in me her troubles and I did the same when I felt sad. It helped. We just became friends after that. Plus, she is very protective over the community. Don't underestimate her. I would never fight her, personally. I'd always lose."

"And against me?"

"She'd have you on your ass before you could even take that knife out of your belt," Olivia grinned, turning right onto the porch of one of the homes. This one didn't look damaged at all. In fact, it looked quite beautiful. He hesitantly followed her inside, looking around with parted lips. The inside was clean, and organized. He suddenly felt very self conscious for being covered in dirt and sand thanks to that fight with Daryl.

"Alright, you can take the first shower. I'm gonna go find Judith. She's probably being watched by one of the neighbors. She'll be happy to see I'm back," Olivia stated, beginning up the stairs. Once again, Justin was forced to follow. "I'll get some of my daddy's clothes for you to wear. And we have some fresh towels since we haven't been here these past few days."

"You're just gonna leave me here? You put way too much trust into a Savior."

"No, I trust that Rosita will hold out on her word to take care of you if you do betray us. Here's the bathroom; let me go get your stuff."


	3. Chapter 3

The bathroom door shut once she had fixed all of the clothes he'd change into. It was a rugged, brown button-up with tattered jeans. It was barely anything, but it was better than being stuck in his filthy clothes all day, especially after a shower. Justin was far past frustration now. The Sanctuary was hours from Alexandria, and now he was sworn to stay here because that bitch, Rosita, would possibly attack him for sneaking out. He was so sick of the interference from Olivia. Why couldn't she just leave him alone? It was obvious all of this was unwanted. He could handle himself just fine. Whoever was snatching up Saviors would never be a match for him.

However, he wouldn't turn down a shower. The water situation at the Sanctuary wasn't great, so the chance to get legitimately clean was a Godsend. Once he stripped himself of his clothes and pulled his long hair from its rubber band, he stepped into the running water and flinched from the coldness. Hot water was a thing of the past. Dipping his head underneath, he let his mind swim as his hair became wet and slid across his bare shoulders. Healed scars lined his chest and abdomen, even going as far as his thighs. He'd had a long, rough time with this world, but each scar had a story. He was just never ready to tell it.

Negan was in Alexandria...his leader was right here in his midst and he didn't even know. He doubted Olivia would let him see him. Even if she did, Rosita would probably interfere. Still, Justin couldn't help but wonder where they had kept him. Maybe he wasn't alive at all. After all, nobody's ever really seen him since his downfall. Maybe Rick did kill him, but he just told everyone he was keeping him alive as a symbol. Just as that thought ran through his mind, he shook himself of it. Nah. Even that bastard wasn't that cruel. Negan had to be alive somewhere in that camp. Justin just wanted to know where.

Once he was completely clean and he felt like he could scrub no more at his already sore skin, he switched the water off and stepped out, splattering the clean tiled floor with the residue still attempting to dry on his body. He grabbed the towel Olivia had left for him and quickly began to dry himself, not wanting her to return and suddenly walk in on him. He already got the hint she was a complete stranger to boundaries. She had no trouble just grabbing his hand and dragging him around where she wanted him to go.

Pulling his hair back again, he moved to change into his new clothes, feeling how tight they were in the chest region; otherwise, they were completely okay. He glanced at himself in the mirror and grimaced. He was still bruised up from the fight with Daryl. He wondered when it would finally go away. He looked hideous. Shaking his head, he dried up the floor with the towel he used before throwing it inside the wooden bin, where he assumed they threw their towels, too.

Opening the door, he was surprised at how quiet it was. Olivia must've not returned just yet. He stood awkwardly, his dirty clothes piled up in his arms. He really wished she hadn't left him to wander about a house he's never been to before. Not to mention the fact this was the same house as Rick Grimes, the same man who banished him the night before. It felt so faraway now. All he could think of was the night spent in the stupid cabin with a stupid girl before he got dragged here because someone was taking out Saviors for whatever reason. Justin felt it was all some kind of sick joke God played on him to test his faith or whatever.

Justin, now even more irritated than before, placed his dirty clothes near the bathroom door and straightened up once more. He could leave right now. He could walk out that front door and out the front gate without Olivia even knowing. His feet refused to move, however. His brain waves kept them rooted to the faux wood floors. Why didn't he want to leave? Wasn't his entire thought process this entire time to get away from Olivia Grimes and back to the Sanctuary? He excused it as him not wanting to be killed like the other Saviors. That had to be it. Shaking his head thoroughly, he turned and slowly made his way down the short hallway of doors. He wanted to stop his mind from saying much more and making him more irritated.

He was never good with it, the thinking. Not that he was stupid, he just hated being stuck in his own head for so long. It brought terrifying thoughts to him, or worse, memories. When he had been with Negan, he didn't have to think about all that. Negan had him thinking about the next move for their group, or what way they were going to send a proper message to the groups they had a hold over. Never did he think about how he was feeling or how he wanted to feel. God, he missed that. He missed the power, the superior feeling, all of it. Now it was all gone. Thanks to Rick effing Grimes.

He turned the silver doorknob of the door on the far end. It opened with ease, pushing back into the opposite wall and giving him a full view of what was inside. It had to be a girl's room, by the look of the faded pink comforter on the mattress laying on the ground along with the vanity with chipped white paint. The leftmost drawer had a missing knob, and the entire thing was meant to be lopsided, but a couple of books held itself underneath what used to be a leg. The window was covered by a purple throw blanket, nailed to the wall to hide anybody's sight of what was inside. On the vanity laid a few books, a hairbrush, hair ties, and even a bra. He flushed slightly as he looked on. There was no bed, as stated before, there was only a mattress with a comforter and one pillow. If he had to guess, he'd say this was Olivia's room.

On the other side of the mattress was another door. That must be the closet. Looking back over his shoulder, he decided he didn't want to be racked by her for snooping where his nose didn't belong. Turning back, he closed the door behind him and trotted down the stairs just as the front door opened and in walked the person in question, holding a small child on her hip and a couple of brown paper bags. She grunted in discomfort, kicking open the door fully and struggling to walk inside without dropping the bags or the child. Just as her arms nearly gave out, he rushed forward and took the bags, straightening her with his free hand.

"Oh, thank you," she said, smiling up at him. "Well, don't you look clean? Really should've borrowed a razor there, though, the scruff looks a little dirty on its own." Laughing, she strolled into the kitchen and sat the little girl on the counter. Her beady little brown eyes fixated themselves on him, giving a small smile as she played with the front of her tattered dress. "Could you bring those bags in here? Mrs. Abrody was kind enough to pack us some dinner with her famous casserole. Tastes like dirt, but it fills you up pretty good. She's been watching Judith for Daddy and Michonne."

Justin nodded and walked forward, placing the bags gently in front of her. The child turned quickly on the spot, still giving him a warm smile. It was making him quite uncomfortable. He didn't much like children.

"Say hi, Judith," Olivia cooed, pulling the girl towards her. "This here's my sister, Judith, in case you didn't know who I was talking about. Judy-fruity, this is Justin. Can you say Justin?"

Judith just reached out to grab at his shirt, seeming to recognize it since it was her father's. Olivia laughed and gently pulled her away.

"I really need to get her dressed, so I can head out for lunch with Rosita. You're...you're welcome to come with, if you want," Olivia looked up at him. "S'not like you got much else to do. You're pretty much safer within the gates than out. Odds are whoever's doin' this won't really stick around in plain view."

Justin didn't get to refuse. He really didn't wanna just sit around in an empty house, debating on whether to leave or go find Negan when he knew he wasn't going to do either. He just gave her a nod and watched as she ran up the stairs to get her and her sister ready. A few minutes later, which consisted of him just bouncing back and forth on the heels of his feet, she returned wearing a white blouse and blue jeans with cowgirl boots running up her calves. Her sister was sporting a newer dress with a bright yellow floral pattern.

"Alright, c'mon. Don't mind the staring. Um...I'm guessin' Rosita let it out that I brought a Savior in here, so everyone's gonna wanna get a look at you. Please...just don't lose your temper like you did with Henry." Olivia pleaded, before she opened the front door and walked out toward the porch steps. He grumbled slightly as he followed her. Maybe he should've stayed behind and debated some more. He really wished he had just ignored her wishes and went back to the Sanctuary. Anything was better than being here. It was all moving far too fast for his liking.

Nevertheless, he begrudgingly followed her to wherever these people gathered for lunch. He wondered why she couldn't just invite the damn girl over so he wouldn't be gawked at. Justin was sure there would be a few muttered curses directed at him. Not that he cared what any of them thought. Just a while back, he could bust a cap in all of their foreheads without even blinking if they even looked at him the wrong way. Negan, Negan, Negan... Justin had to repeat in his head how much he missed that bastard.

Apparently, they were going to be eating outside. It resembled something of a park as he approached. There were benches all around, along with other kids running around and playing. Olivia dipped down and set Judith down for her to go and run with the others. They all didn't hesitate to include her. Olivia turned and sent Justin a wide smile before beckoning him forward to the benches. They must've been the first ones there.

"Olivia! Hey, Olivia!"

Both of them turned. A boy was approaching. He was about an inch or so shorter than Olivia, but he was more than a foot compared to Justin. He wore a blue button up with brown slacks and leather bound shoes. He had a boyish sort of face with acne lining his chin and hairline. Even from there Justin could tell his eyes were a vibrant hazel with a button nose and think pink lips. The boy was smiling eagerly at Olivia, just before he stumbled a foot before them because he laid eyes on the man standing beside her.

"O-Olivia!" he coughed, correcting himself and outright embracing her despite the fact she had a hand out for him to shake. Justin watched awkwardly, trying to keep whatever laugh that met his lips inside. "I heard you were back! Everyone's already talking about it. Gosh, you gotta tell me everythin' about the bridge! Mama wouldn't let me go out with 'em when Mr. Grimes asked for volunteers. Is there any openings? You think Mr. Grimes would let me in a little later?"

_Mr. Grimes? _Who was this guy? Justin finally snorted, just before he grunted as Olivia jabbed an elbow into his side.

"Hey, Nathan," Olivia smiled, stepping back. "Um...actually, I don't know if my daddy would accept anymore people. We got a situation goin' on down there, anyway. Saviors are goin' missing. Actually, uh...this is Justin. I took him here because of that reason. He'll be here until Daddy or Daryl or Michonne figures out what the hell's going on. Justin, this is Nathan Wright. He's been here before I have. Nathan, this is Justin, my...friend."

Justin looked down at him, still rubbing the side where Olivia had elbowed him. Nathan looked up at him, still looking intimidated, but he had some sort of territorial gaze in his eyes Justin recognized. Negan would make the same face whenever some of the men back home looked at his wives more than once. But since he was being stared at by most of the other people around them, he put a hand out. Nathan visibly flinched, not seeming to expect such hospitality. Justin wondered what these people thought of the Saviors. Despite them somewhat coming together, they probably still held some animosity for them. He didn't care. The Saviors felt the exact same way.

Nathan's hand was cold as he shook his. Perhaps Justin clenched his fist a little too hard just to assert dominance. Nathan, now clutching said hand, looked back at Olivia with a red face, "Are you having lunch here, Olivia? Would you like me to join y'all?"

"Oh, you can if you want! Rosita and I are having lunch, though. I just brought Justin so he could get out of the house a while."

"R-Rosita?" Nathan somehow grew redder. "Uh, on second thought, I think I hear Momma callin' me. It was..._really _nice seein' you again, Olivia. M-Maybe we could have lunch together, if that's alright with you? My Momma makes good chicken and tuna sandwiches. I could ask her to make 'em just the way you like 'em." Nathan bit his lip hopefully.

"Uh...I'll let you know, Nathan, but I'm very pleased you asked," Olivia smiled awkwardly. The other boy nodded feebly, gave her another awkward hug, before he scurried off. Shaking her head. Olivia went and sat down on one of the benches, Justin taking the spot to her left as he continued to watch the boy run.

"What...the hell was that?"

"That was Nathan Wright."

"Uh, yeah, I kind of caught that when you introduced us the first time."

"Well, I'd hate to sound a little arrogant, but he likes me a tad, but he's terrified of Rosita, which is probably why he didn't wanna have lunch now," Olivia blew a piece of hair from her face. "Daddy actually wanted somethin' to happen with me and him. He thinks Nathan's good for me, after the last one. You remember Spencer, right?"

Justin's mind clicked and he looked up at her in surprise. She was with Spencer?

"I actually just got with him to piss my dad off, to be honest. I was angry with him when we originally came to Alexandria, after Terminus. You probably don't know much about that situation, so I won't bore you with the story. Anyway, I didn't trust Alexandria, and Daddy pretty much ignored all my protests. So I decided to be the brat that I was. Then I watched Negan tear his guts out. But...Nathan's just...he's too...I don't..."

"You know you don't have to have a reason why you don't like him, right?" Justin said. "The kid looked like a scrawny little prick, anyhow."

Olivia rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh, be nice! He's real sweet. But...thanks for makin' me feel better, I guess."

"Olivia!"

Rosita had arrived, still wearing what she had earlier when Justin and her first crossed paths. Much like Nathan had, she stopped short when she saw Justin sitting beside her. However, she straightened up quickly and strode over, tossing something into Olivia's hands. Upon further inspection, Justin could see it was an orange. An orange for lunch?

"I thought we'd be eating alone," Rosita commented.

"I know, I know...but I didn't wanna leave him alone in the house. Plus, until we discover what's going on with the Saviors, everyone here has to get used to havin' him around," Olivia stated, still leaving out the part how Justin was technically banished and could possibly be murdered just for sitting on this bench with the leader's daughter and one of his best gunman.

"Everybody's already making up rumors," Rosita stated, peeling her orange so she could eat it. "Some of them involve you, Liv."

"Let them talk," Olivia rolled her eyes, rolling the fruit around in her hands. "I wasn't about to let him die when I knew I could've prevented it. And, anyway, I'm sick of having to defend my decision. Can we talk about anything else? What's been going on here without my dad and Michonne? Everything seems to be running smoothly. But Mrs. Abrody said there was a hunting accident the other day?"

"Yeah, Terry Zane got scratched. Um...Montague put him down for his mom. There was a whole herd east. We didn't even see them."

"Terry Zane? Ain't he the one that pointed-"

"Pointed the gun right at you."

"What?" Justin spoke up from the other side.

"Terry was a bit trigger happy. When the war with Negan first started, he and I got into an argument and he pointed a gun straight for my head. Daryl beat the ever living shit out of him, kind of like what he did with y-" Olivia quickly cut herself off, blushing profusely and clearing her throat. Rosita couldn't know about the ruckus before the Saviors incident. She'd find out when her father arrived, anyway. By that time Justin could finally go home.

"He pointed a gun at your head?" Justin asked, his contentedness subsiding in favor of sudden anger.

"Yeah, but it was out of bullets. Think he just did it to scare me. Didn't talk to him since. Dang...so he just...died?" Olivia turned back to Rosita, completely oblivious to Justin's sudden change in posture. "As much as I hated him, his mother was a nice woman. How is she doing?"

"Terrible. Keeps going on and on that it wasn't a herd."

"How would she know?"

"Because Montague told her there was no herd in sight. In fact, he said they found the walker tied to a tree before he got free when it took notice to 'em and scratched Terry," Rosita recalled, before shrugging, "But what do I know? I wasn't there."

"Wow..." Olivia shook her head. "Unbelievable."

She slowly began to peel away the orange she had, now seemed to be completely lost in thought. Rosita, however, was staring at him over her shoulder. He knew the expression well: hatred. She hated him. He hadn't done anything to her, and she hated him. Justin snorted indignantly, removing his gaze and staring toward the children instead, who were still playing. He could see the girl Judith amongst them, her dress covered in mud as she laughed loudly. She was having a good time.

"Who said it was a herd?" he asked finally, breaking the awkward silence.

"Don't know. But they'd rather say that then raise any questions. Why would a walker be tied up?"

"Maybe he was tied before he was turned? Why does it have to raise any red flags?" Olivia sighed irritably.

"Because that's the world we live in," Rosita said, just as they heard static. Justin and Olivia looked around in confusion, but they turned in time to see Rosita pull out a radio. She pressed the button and murmured something into it before she turned back to the two. "Have to go. I'm on watch now. Just to reestablish things, watch yourself." She was speaking directly to Justin. "As for you, goodnight. Remember what I said, Liv. If this blows back up in your face-"

"It won't," Olivia promised, getting to her feet as well.

The two girls hugged and Rosita left. Justin grunted and got up as well, figuring they were going to leave since 'lunch' was over.

"Judith!" Olivia called, beckoning her sister toward her.

"What the shit is going on down here?" Justin asked, pulling her to face him. "A man dead, some kind of conspiracy theory about a herd...Are you kiddin' me?"

"I guarantee you it was nothing. Mrs. Zane just wants someone to blame for Terry's death is all. Guarantee Montague just told her that so she could be angry instead of miserable. It keeps her distracted." Olivia seemed to not find anything weird about it. Justin had to remind himself that this girl was as stupid as nails. He shook his head, wanting to say more, but Judith had arrived. The little girl threw her arms around her sister's torso, Olivia obliging her wishes and pulling her to her hip.

"C'mon...we should head back. I think someone needs a nap!" Olivia cooed, walking in the direction of her house with Justin trailing behind. He felt a little smaller, still feeling looks on him from passersby. He was still the attraction in Alexandria, and that's not a good thing. He wondered if, wherever he was, Negan would gain notice to one of his old followers' arrival. What would he think of him, shacking up with Rick Grimes' daughter? He'd probably get the wrong impression.

But right now Justin didn't care about that. His mind just couldn't help but curl around the subject about the death of Terry Zane and how exactly he died. The whole thing was just so peculiar.

Peculiar, indeed.


End file.
